Arizona weekly journal-miner., 1887-07-20
THE STORM.
The Heaviest Rainfall of the Sea son--Railroad Washouts--ho
 and Incidents.

To call Arizona an arid country,
 would lay ones self liable to criminal prosecution for libel, under the bran
 new revised Statutes of the territory, "praised by all practical printers oi
 Prescott" The fact Is that the ram, which set in on Tuesday, has continued ever since. and has been increasing day by day in its quantity. Towards evening of each day, clouds have dispersed, and weather prophets have predicted that the storm had abated, but each succeeding day has witnessed a greater down pour than the day pre- ceding, and ats o'clock Friday morn- ing by far the heaviest rain storm of the season set in, lasting for nearly an hour.
 THE rLoop-GATEs OF HEAVEN
 Seemed to be turned entirely open and the rain descended in torrents. IL was un- accompanied by thunder and lightning, with the exception of one or two vivld flashes of the latter, followed in each in- stance by sharp cracks of thunder, na- tureSeemingly devoting its entire at tention to the business of thoroughly wetting down tine earth, and for the time neglecting the pyrotechnics usually accompanying our summer rains. The storm was heaviest immediately to the west oi Prescott, and every little gulch in the rock-ribbed canyons of that sec ton poured down torrent of water, like that of the poetical Lodore. Just west of the residence of Probate Judge O'Neill the aggregated force of the flood from that section was divided, portion oi it going down the gulch between the residence of w C. Potts and Mrs. Radcweski's, everflowing its banks and flooding the yards along the east side of upper Mccormick street to a depth of three or four feet. The little wash to the north of Judge o'Neills was also filled to overhowing, washing every thing in its course.
 GENUINE FLOOD
 Came pouring down through the yard oi Hon. T.. J. Butler, washing away section of fence from the west side and forcing its way through and under the fence on the eastern side of the yard, almost destroying it. Along McCor- mick street volume of water three or four feet deep rushed to West Gurley street, where 1t divided A stream larger than Granite creek, Al ordinary flood, pouring down that thoroughfare into the creek, while a volume which, at the crossing to Dougherty's store, was knee deep, continued down Mccormick street At its height, the water in Granite creek, was within about three feet of the bridge, ca irving with 1t, in its downward course, almost everything lying along its banks or across it, from foot-bridge to tin can.
 The rains have not been confined to any single locality. but seem to be uni yersal throughout northern Arizona. W. O. Hickman, brakeman, and Ed. Perry, Wells. Fargo X Co.'S messenger, on the Prescott X Arizona Central rail way, came in this morning at o'clock, on Hathaway's stage, from Bsnghart's, and report that, i. anything, the rain Tn that section, yesterday, was heavier that that experienced here to-day.
 The train attempted, yesterday, to go back to the Junction, but washout after washout was encountered until | three or four miles beyond Banghart's, when the engine was killed, and there 1t | lays with the water car and coach, Tn a cut, on high ground, above the reach | of the floods. These men report the en- | tire country almost entirely under wa | ter, and the Verde bridge in great dan ger of being washed out. A number of I cattle had been washed down by the | freshet and had lodged against this structure. \ force of hundred men or | more has been sent to repair breaks, | but with the continued showers their progress Is slow. Conductor Pomeroy, | Engineer Mccarthy, Ed Lowe, ticket agent at Prescott, and Frank Barling, | roadmaster, left yesterday afternoon, on i d hand car, for Prescott Junction, but | have not been heard from since. Nu washouts oi greater or less ex- tent are also reported between Prescott and Banghart's, and with the greatest ex- er;ions and enterprise it will require several days to get the road in condi- tion to run again, even if the rains should cease In the meantime an at tempt will be made to forward the mail and express by hand cars.
 NOTES AND INCIDENTS.
 J. N. Rodenburg's cellar was flooded.
 The flood did good scavenger work oa the streets.
 Several minor washouts on the rail- road near whipple.
 Granite Creek has not been as full of water for two years.
 About 20 fee; of the railroad ill. in front of the Whipple corral Was washed away.
 The railroad bridge over Granite creek inl the fll and bridge just this side are ininjured.
 Walnut Grove News.
 \. o Murphy. who returned Saturday